Flying with a toddler - tips for traveling by plane with kids 2 to 5 years old

Find the information you need to make flying with your toddler a breeze.

The idea of traveling with a little one with their newfound mobility and impulsive nature can make any parent nervous. You may ask yourself, “How can the trip go smoothly? How can I keep my child happy and entertained? What should I take in my carry-on to make things easier?” and a million other questions. Below are tips and ideas to help you plan a more relaxing, smooth, drama-free trip. You may enjoy the plane ride more than you ever expected and have fun traveling with your toddler!

Planning Air Travel

Flight Timing

The time of your flight will have a significant impact on your trip. If possible, plan to take a flight that takes place during your little one's usual nap time – or if it’s a long flight, plan for an overnight flight that matches their nightly sleep schedule. If the flight is a bit later than their usual bedtime, try keeping your child up as long as possible so they fall asleep on the plane. These techniques work most of the time, but sometimes your little one may be overstimulated and not want to sleep until the actual landing. It's frustrating but normal!

Seating

A seat must be acquired for kids two and over. You can have them sit directly in their seat or

in a flight-certified car seat you bring yourself. At an age where most kids are already walking alone and climbing up and down their seats, it may be best not to strap them in a car seat so they can stretch and play, particularly during long flights. Selecting window seats is also great because you can keep them entertained with the different landscapes and cloud formations below.

Car seats

You can use a plane-certified car seat on your flight or check a car seat for free to use at your destination. This is a good option when you know you’ll be getting around by car and can’t easily rent one at your destination. Most airlines provide a protective cover for a checked car seat, but if you prefer, you can also get your own.

You can also opt to travel with a collapsible car seat when you know you will be car-sharing at your destination. These seats can get pricey, but if you have to rent a car seat in every city you visit, it may be worth looking into buying one. You can even look to buy one jointly with another family with small kids and take turns using it on your respective vacations, which some friends of ours have done. The Pico Portable Car Seat comes highly recommended and works for kids over two, and can seat children that weigh up to 50 lbs.

Travel Strollers

Traveling with a lightweight travel stroller can help make your trip much easier when running between terminals and exploring your destination. You can get a lightweight model that folds tight and easily fits in the overhead compartment. We love the gb Pockit+ All Terrain Ultra Light Weight Travel Stroller – it has traveled everywhere with us, including Peru, Colombia, France, Belgium, and across the USA!

Travel Outfit

The temperature in airplanes can go from very cold to sweltering so it's a good idea to dress your little one in layers. A soft t-shirt with comfy pull-on pants (sweat pants or leggings) and a light sweatshirt work well. Don't forget to pack the extra outfit in your carry-on in case of an accident!

Child prep

To prepare your child for the flight, you can talk to them about the trip once it's confirmed and then daily a week before you take off. If the kid knows what to expect, it can make the experience less stressful for them and easier for you. You can share details about what the trip will look like and the different steps you'll take along the way, like arriving at the airport, going through the security check, waiting at the gate, boarding the plane, time on the plane, taking off, landing, and what activities they can do on the plane. If they have not traveled before, you may want to read them a book about it (see this kid travel book list on Amazon), particularly if they’ll be on a long flight.

Packing Carry-ons

Travel Bag Necessities

For all toddler bags, certain things are always worth having: an outfit change for your little one (including underwear, socks, a top, and a bottom), two blankets (one for the floor if they want to play there and the other to cover them while they nap), as well as body wipes. It’s also practical to have disinfecting wipes (for the airplane seats, screens and tables) and at least four plastic bags to dispose of diapers, store wet clothes in case of accidents, and use as trash bags. If your child is not potty-trained, plan to have a diaper for every 1.5 hours of flight, a changing pad, and wipes.

Your little one may want to have their own backpack to carry. If they are under four, it may be best to make it as light as possible, putting their favorite stuffed toy and any other lightweight things they can manage into it. Once they hit 4+ years, they may be able to pull a backpack with wheels if you need them to help carry heavier things.

Food and Drinks

Snacks are essential and true lifesavers! Take your child’s favorite snacks, like puffs, goldfish, cereals, dried fruit, granola bars, fruit puree pouches, etc. You can also take a cooler bag to store fresh fruits, sandwiches, cheeses, etc. When traveling with a child under twelve, the TSA allows you to carry formula, breast milk, and/or juice over 3.4 ounces. They may check the liquid to ensure it is safe. You can request that your liquids not be opened, but it may lead to you having to undergo additional security procedures. It’s important to note that you can use freeze packs in the cooler, but only if they are mostly frozen upon screening. If they become too soft or slushy before then, they may be confiscated.

For water, instead of buying disposable water bottles at the airport (which can get pricey), you can take empty reusable water bottles in your bags, and after going through security, you can fill them up at the terminal’s water fountains, often situated close to the bathrooms.

Entertainment

Pack some entertainment essentials for your little one to have a relaxing flight! What you take depends on your kid’s interests and age but below are a few ideas that are tried and true and work for most kids:

• Coloring book/pad and crayons or markers (for the younger kids, it may be best to avoid markers because of the risk of them staining people and things).

• Reusable water coloring books - these are easy to use, make no mess, and once the page dries, it can be “colored in” again! It provides endless hours of fun for your little one.

• Activity books: there are reusable ones you can use with a dry-erase marker. Others include coloring, tracing, folding, stickers, and gluing.

• A magic board where your little one can draw, erase and start again.

• A few of their favorite books.

• A kid-friendly tablet that has:

  • their favorite movies and shows pre-downloaded so they can watch them offline. Netflix and Disney+ have the option to download and watch shows and movies offline. It has saved our lives in air and car travel.

  • Age-appropriate games.

An affordable and easy-to-use kid tablet is the Amazon Fire tablet with kid headphones with volume control.

In addition to reading the books of your little one and helping them play with their favorite toys and tablet, you can also walk them down the aisles to keep them entertained and help them get their energy out!

In the Plane

Hygiene Precautions

It’s never a bad idea to use disinfecting wipes on the armrests, screens and tables as these are rarely cleaned between flights, and there's a big chance your child will be exploring most things in sight.

Cabin Pressure

Young children's ears are extra-sensitive and can experience pain with the changes in cabin pressure during take-off and landing. To help them in these moments, you can give your little one a sippy cup to drink from or snacks to munch on to get their jaws moving and alleviate pressure on their ears.

Diaper Change

There are changing tables in the airplane bathrooms, which are super convenient. Space is tight so it's best to take only what you need with you, like a changing pad, wipes, and diaper.

Parent Prep

Getting yourself ready

As you can imagine, your energy will have a big impact on the experience your little one will have. If you are a nervous traveler, prepare your mind and body for the trip with whatever helps you relax – yoga, meditation, wine, a massage– so you are ready to take on all the challenges of traveling with kids. Your child will feed off your energy.

I personally love flying, so I've seen my excitement rub off on my 4-year-old, Lea. She has integrated a little routine into her travel experience, which helps her feel more in control of what is happening and more comfortable during the trip. She now enthusiastically runs to her plane seat, sets up her toys and tablet for the flight, and looks forward to the drinks and snacks that are served and all the activities she gets to do.

I hope this information makes your travel prep a bit easier! You can do it!

Are there any other tips you would add? Make sure to add them to the comments below!

*Disclosure: I only recommend products I use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post contains certain affiliate links, so I may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on my site at no additional cost to you.